SC for adopted child

[PNGMK]

Hi,
I have a similar situation here. But my outcome is not a good one. It was rejected. Anyone here is still active and mind sharing.

You need to explain your situation.

[Confused73]

I am SC, wife PR. I brought my family here 2023. Went through adoption process and with a name change with my last name. Adoption order issued. Child was 16 when she came. Turning 18 by year end.
Applied Birth Certificate as required once Adoption order approve.
Proceed Citizenship application with SG Birth Certificate with new name.
Child currently on Student pass.
Applications rejected after a long wait of exactly 9 months.
Appealed also rejected.
Both rejections comes with unless change in circumstances then allow to apply again.
I was shock wife pr approved easily, even my child with current wife sc also approved in 6 months with DNA.
But my adopted child rejected without reasons.
Went through all documents and noticed child student pass are expiring this 31 Dec 2025, instead of 2026 with indicated on Solarpass which school applied from ICA.
During student pass collection, I noticed the pass is with old name instead new name. I asked the office and she replied me: It doesn’t matter, it’s reflected in their system. I trust their system. But now I have a new problem. Since my child sc was rejected. I need to prepare next steps of her student pass renewal.
It all comes down to 1 problem.
ICA asking me the child passport with her new name from her origin country.
Went to embassy n was told unable to process passport with name changed even with the Singapore Court Order.
No choice get a representative law firm from the origin country now to process Amendment of Birth Certificate.
I felt the whole process the authority do not guide us on this issue with name change. And was blamed why didn’t I do it.

[PNGMK]

A Singapore Court order counts for ZERO with a child adopted in another country as Singapore has no jurisdiction over that country. That's why ICA rejected the child for SC as there is no proof the child has completely severed links with the birth parents (this particularly problematic in Islamic Jurisprudence as birth parents never truly give up their rights). ICA won't allow the child to be an SC in this case because you can end up with chain migration from the child to their bio family.

You need a court order from the child's country of birth that shows the birth parents have ZERO rights.

You were ignorant and should have sought competent legal advice from the start.

Some country websites (such as the Australian High Comm one in Singapore) warn that a Singapore court order for adoption is useless if the adopted child is not a citizen of Singapore at birth.

You might have enough time to fix this but you need to move fast. Child needs to be SC before age of majority here (21) if based on parents SC.

As far as I know I am the only forum member who has actually succesfully adopted a child here in Singapore so my experience counts. You MUST be your own advocate and you should use solicitors experienced in international adoption.

[Confused73]

Yalor. Now no choice but to amend birth cert at origin country and get a new passport with new name.
I did engage a law firm in Singapore who gave experience in international adoption. But my situation was rare to them as their cases all get citizenship approved. ( Just take it I sway )
Representative are doing paper works filing for petition for recognition of foreign documents.
But the problem now with student pass renewal I required a passport with new name changed. I felt the authority should tell me since we went down personally to collect it.
Fyi the country is Philippines. Things takes time there.
Thank you so much for the reply.

[PNGMK]

No problem. I do know a Singapore lady who facilitates adoptions in the PH and it can get tricky from what she told me.

Pay a bribe to speed it up.

[NYY1]

How long ago was the child adopted and is the adopted child your (now) PR wife's biological child?

[Confused73]

Adoption order since September 2024. Biological mum. Origin birth cert no father name.

[Confused73]

No problem. I do know a Singapore lady who facilitates adoptions in the PH and it can get tricky from what she told me.

Pay a bribe to speed it up.

Fixers are not as reliable as before. Unless really witness the kinds of multiple results shown. Or else will be scam n money fly away.

[Confused73]

How long ago was the child adopted and is the adopted child your (now) PR wife's biological child?

Adopted child was Biological child of my pr wife. We have our own child and origin certificate I was stated as the father but not married.
No problem with our own child applying sc. But it did took longer than what’s stated as 2 months. We get it about 6 months.
I just feels bad for my adopted child. Eventually we don’t intend to tell her I am not her biological father. But when required adoption by MSF. We have to tell her I m not. That moment she broke into tears. Fyi when I knew her mom(my wife) She’s only 6 months old. So she thought I am her father for 16 years.
She did so well in her study in sg. She came in with NT stream. She was promoted to Express. I am so proud of her.
But I am not happy the authority push the blames on me in expense of my child future. She will be taking her O level next year. I was given a choice to disrupt her study and go back Philippines to settle the issue n come back with a new passport. Sad Sad Sad

[NYY1]

How long ago was the child adopted and is the adopted child your (now) PR wife's biological child?

Adopted child was Biological child of my pr wife. We have our own child and origin certificate I was stated as the father but not married.
No problem with our own child applying sc. But it did took longer than what’s stated as 2 months. We get it about 6 months.
I just feels bad for my adopted child. Eventually we don’t intend to tell her I am not her biological father. But when required adoption by MSF. We have to tell her I m not. That moment she broke into tears. Fyi when I knew her mom(my wife) She’s only 6 months old. So she thought I am her father for 16 years.
She did so well in her study in sg. She came in with NT stream. She was promoted to Express. I am so proud of her.
But I am not happy the authority push the blames on me in expense of my child future. She will be taking her O level next year. I was given a choice to disrupt her study and go back Philippines to settle the issue n come back with a new passport. Sad Sad Sad

Gotcha. For the child between you and your wife, was the application made via descent within one year of birth or was it just under the child of a SC bucket? For the latter, the add'l delay/time may have been due to the fact that you were not married (ICA website: Are an unmarried child aged below 21 born within the context of a legal marriage to, or have been legally adopted by, a Singapore citizen).

For your adopted child, I was wondering if her mother (your wife) could apply for PR for the child (her child). However, the same language is used as above (ICA website: Unmarried child aged below 21 born within the context of a legal marriage to, or have been legally adopted by a Singapore citizen or PR). Not sure your wife's status when the adopted child was born?

Regardless, I wonder if they'd be willing to give the adopted child PR first, whether you or your wife applies for her.

[Confused73]

How long ago was the child adopted and is the adopted child your (now) PR wife's biological child?

Adopted child was Biological child of my pr wife. We have our own child and origin certificate I was stated as the father but not married.
No problem with our own child applying sc. But it did took longer than what’s stated as 2 months. We get it about 6 months.
I just feels bad for my adopted child. Eventually we don’t intend to tell her I am not her biological father. But when required adoption by MSF. We have to tell her I m not. That moment she broke into tears. Fyi when I knew her mom(my wife) She’s only 6 months old. So she thought I am her father for 16 years.
She did so well in her study in sg. She came in with NT stream. She was promoted to Express. I am so proud of her.
But I am not happy the authority push the blames on me in expense of my child future. She will be taking her O level next year. I was given a choice to disrupt her study and go back Philippines to settle the issue n come back with a new passport. Sad Sad Sad

Gotcha. For the child between you and your wife, was the application made via descent within one year of birth or was it just under the child of a SC bucket? For the latter, the add'l delay/time may have been due to the fact that you were not married (ICA website: Are an unmarried child aged below 21 born within the context of a legal marriage to, or have been legally adopted by, a Singapore citizen).

For your adopted child, I was wondering if her mother (your wife) could apply for PR for the child (her child). However, the same language is used as above (ICA website: Unmarried child aged below 21 born within the context of a legal marriage to, or have been legally adopted by a Singapore citizen or PR). Not sure your wife's status when the adopted child was born?

Regardless, I wonder if they'd be willing to give the adopted child PR first, whether you or your wife applies for her.

My apologies, I forget to mentioned application was done after marriage.

Feb 2023, I brought them to SG for good. I done the research for school, adoption and sc.

Feb 2023, me n wife finally tie the knot and we did the solemnisation in rom sg.
On same year apply wife for LTVP then later to LTVP+.
Nov 2023 Our youngest child get her SC.
Oct 2024 wife gets PR.
March 2023 Adoption process.
Sep 2024 Adoption approved.
Oct 2024 Apply SC.
July 2024 SC rejected.
Since July 2023 both of my child has been studying in a public school in sg.

[NYY1]

Adopted child was Biological child of my pr wife. We have our own child and origin certificate I was stated as the father but not married.
No problem with our own child applying sc. But it did took longer than what’s stated as 2 months. We get it about 6 months.
I just feels bad for my adopted child. Eventually we don’t intend to tell her I am not her biological father. But when required adoption by MSF. We have to tell her I m not. That moment she broke into tears. Fyi when I knew her mom(my wife) She’s only 6 months old. So she thought I am her father for 16 years.
She did so well in her study in sg. She came in with NT stream. She was promoted to Express. I am so proud of her.
But I am not happy the authority push the blames on me in expense of my child future. She will be taking her O level next year. I was given a choice to disrupt her study and go back Philippines to settle the issue n come back with a new passport. Sad Sad Sad

Gotcha. For the child between you and your wife, was the application made via descent within one year of birth or was it just under the child of a SC bucket? For the latter, the add'l delay/time may have been due to the fact that you were not married (ICA website: Are an unmarried child aged below 21 born within the context of a legal marriage to, or have been legally adopted by, a Singapore citizen).

For your adopted child, I was wondering if her mother (your wife) could apply for PR for the child (her child). However, the same language is used as above (ICA website: Unmarried child aged below 21 born within the context of a legal marriage to, or have been legally adopted by a Singapore citizen or PR). Not sure your wife's status when the adopted child was born?

Regardless, I wonder if they'd be willing to give the adopted child PR first, whether you or your wife applies for her.

My apologies, I forget to mentioned application was done after marriage.

Feb 2023, I brought them to SG for good. I done the research for school, adoption and sc.

Feb 2023, me n wife finally tie the knot and we did the solemnisation in rom sg.
On same year apply wife for LTVP then later to LTVP+.
Nov 2023 Our youngest child get her SC.
Oct 2024 wife gets PR.
March 2023 Adoption process.
Sep 2024 Adoption approved.
Oct 2024 Apply SC.
July 2024 SC rejected.
Since July 2023 both of my child has been studying in a public school in sg.

Understand. Still, I think when the application was done and the child's status at birth are two different things. Either way, you can apply for SC or PR for the adopted child. I'm not sure if the mother (your wife) can apply for PR for the adopted child.

Re the name and passport, could you change her name back to the original here in Singapore (so it matches her home country's passport)? Just wondering if that would be faster than doing all of the stuff in the Philippines? Or does that cause other problems?

Regardless, good luck and hope you can get it resolved.

[smoulder]

Eventually we don’t intend to tell her I am not her biological father

Is that a typo?

Generally it is highly recommended to disclose adoption (partial in this case). I have personally met a few people (adults) who's parents didn't do this and then they found out. It changed their relationship with their adoptive parents forever.

PS - I'm the other guy in this forum who has successfully adopted a child (PGNMK is the other)

[Confused73]

Eventually we don’t intend to tell her I am not her biological father

Is that a typo?

Generally it is highly recommended to disclose adoption (partial in this case). I have personally met a few people (adults) who's parents didn't do this and then they found out. It changed their relationship with their adoptive parents forever.

PS - I'm the other guy in this forum who has successfully adopted a child (PGNMK is the other)

Nope, it’s not a typo. It’s just different people have different views. We do it in a way not to hurt her. But anyway what done is done. There r positive n negative impacts. But not all are the same.

The adoption went through. It’s just ICA asking for a new passport with name changed.
I do have peers went through international adoptions like me. From different countries. All went through the sc applications and get it done in 3 months. Even some with name changed. But no issues.

The only difference I am different with them:
1) After 16 years, we only register our marriage in Singapore 2023. But we have our own child with my name as Father.
2) My adopted child was 16 when we applied. Turning 18 soon.

Now Student pass giving me problems. Keep telling me passport with new name. How the hell I going to get a passport in 3 months.

Anyways thanks